Rotary well-drilling apparatus



Jul 2, 1929. E, A RE 1.719.340

ROTARY WELL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 27, 1925 1,719,340 PATENT OFFICE.

EARL A. REED, OF OKEMAH, OKLAHOMA.

' ROTARY WELL-DRILLING .AIPIIEAIRA'JEUS. v

' Application filed February 27, 1925. Serial No. 12,070.,

The invention relates to improvements in rotary well drilling apparatus. I It is an object of the invention to provide an improved form of carrier for supporting rotatable cutters in' a bit head, with detachable'means for retaining said carriers in the bit head. More specifically, the invention comprehends a bit in which the rotary bit carriers are of a large diameter and supported at each end in the bit head by detachable pins of lesser'diameter.

The carriers provide a large bearing for the cutters, permitting cutters to be used that are manufactured from tubular stock with.- v out necessitating the use of interposed bushings. It is apparent that when cutter teeth aredestroyed the cutter is useless and if the cutter is composed of solid bar stock the material forming the body thereof is wasted. This invention includes cutters to be used that are made from tubular stock wherein 7 little material is wasted in the body of the cutter and at the same time eliminates the use of interposed bushings or bearings between the supporting pins and the cutters.

.Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1' designates a view with, parts in section of a drill bit;

FigureQ illustrates, a detailed view of the carrier and its supporting pins for the center cutter;

Figure 3 is a view of one form of carrierfor the side cutters; and, p

Figure 4 is a view of adifi'erent form of carrier for supporting another type of cutter.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts, the numeral 1 designates a bit head having an'orifice or opening 2 leading therethrough-for the passage of water or other substances, this opening communicating with the branches? and a! for applying the water to parts of the drill to be later described. The lowerpart of the bit head is provided with recesses 5 and 6, the recesses 5 being fashioned to re ceive the side cutters 7 and 8 while the recess it receives the cross cutters 9 as is common in the art; i

The cutters are all composed ofhigh grade steel 'or similar material. As soonas the cutting teeth are damaged these cutters are worthless. It is therefore apparent that when the cutters are manufactured from solid bar stock the substantial quantity of material forming the' body thereof is wasted whenever'a cutter is destroyed. The present lnvention aims to utilize cutters made from tubular. stock so that little material is utilized in the bodythereof resulting in but a slight loss when a cutter is discarded. It is one of the salient features of this invention to utilize cutters so made without. at the same time employing enlarged bushings or the like for supporting such cutters.

In carrying out this invention I provide carriers for either or both the side cutters and the cross cutters. Inv-Figure 2 I have shown-the carrierfor the cross cutters. This carr er isrepresented by the reference character 10 being composed ofv a block of metal or the like capable of withstanding drilling pressures and strains and having in each side thereof threaded sockets 11. These sockets receive supporting'pins 12 having threads adapted to engage the .threads of thesockets bit head, lying against the inner side walls,

thereof and is retained in'position by .the

pins 12 passing through openings in the side "walls. Dowel pins 13 may be used for retaining the carriers in the bit head and for holding them against rotation, it'being appreciated that the cutters rotate around the carriers. Ascbefore, stated, these cutters may be constructed of tubular stock and therefore have bodies of the least possible thickness i yet suficientt to withstand drilling strains and stresses; Washers may be placed on the carrier 10 on each side of the cutters arranged thereon should this construction be found desirable as is, of course, common in the art. v

j The angular or side cutters 7 are similarly mounted. As shown-in. Figure 3 a carrier 1% isprovided which is formed with threaded sockets 15 receiving the supporting pins 16. The periphery of the carrier is provided with a shoulder 17 receiving a cutter having its inner surface similarly formed so as to prevent the cutter from sliding ofi' the carrier and causing wear in the pocket of the bit head particularly where. it is not desirable. touse washers between the bit head and the cutter. The side cutters are mounted on 'their carriers and the carriers then inserted in the side sockets 5 of the bit head and the hili'lG then threaded. in-to' the carriers crigaging, of course, the walls of'the side sockets, The side cutters are placed in the bit head before the center cutters. Dowel pins are used for retaining the supporting pin 16 and the carriers 14 in position. The cutters I provided with the shoulders 17 rest on the periphery of the carriers 14 and rotate therev around; Thesecutters have a large open interior becausejof the diameter of the carriers 14 and can therefore be constructed I from tubular stock.

removed bytheremovalof the supporting' pins for the replacement of a new cutter. It

will. furthermore be seen that no bushings need be'employed to support the cutters, yet at the same time cutters are employed that are manufactured from tubular stock.

It will be understood that various forms of carriers may be used for supporting these cutters, that the carriers may vary in contour, size, etc, without de mrting from this invention, be usedon the carriers;

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a well drilling tool, the combination with adrill headv having an inclined pocket therein communicating with a source of liquid supply, of a rotary cutter located within the pocket comprising a replaceable thin annular shell constructed of tubular stock and having a toothed periphery, a one-piece mas sive-like supporting member conforming to the contour-of the internal surface of the replaceable shell and whereon said shell has a free rotary bearing support, the supporting member having a cut-out portion defining a recess on one side thereof and a shoulder on the other side thereof with the shoulder located in'substantially the central plane of the supporting member, said thin replaceable rotary cutter being of complemental formation whereby the shoulders of the support and shell respectively prevent lateral disengagement in a downward direction of the shell relative to thesupport, said shell being prevented from lateral disengagement in anopposite direction by the wall of the said inclined pocket formed in the drill head.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARL A. REED.

and also any type of cutter may 

